Congestion pricing approval pulled: When would the tolling end?
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced the move in a public letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
More Congestion Pricing News
'The recent imposition of this CBDTP pilot project upon residents, businesses, and commuters left highway users without any free highway alternative,' the letter read. 'Moreover, the revenues generated under this pilot program are directed toward the transit system as opposed to the highways. I do not believe that this is a fair deal.'
With the federal government pulling its approval, does that mean congestion pricing will end in Manhattan? It's unclear what, if any, immediate impacts there will be on daily tolling.
According to Duffy's letter, officials from the federal government will work with New York's Department of Transportation to facilitate the 'orderly cessation of toll operations.'
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
However, the MTA swiftly took legal action against the Trump Administration to keep the congestion pricing program going. The MTA's court filing called the Trump administration's efforts 'unlawful' and said the court should declare the efforts 'null and void.'
Sara Lind, co-executive director of Open Plans, pointed out that congestion pricing has already been upheld in several court battles.
'The program was passed into law through democratically legitimate mechanisms, courts have repeatedly upheld congestion pricing after legal challenges, and they will do so again now,' said Lind.
More Local News
Hochul also responded to the federal DOT's decision, promising, 'We'll see you in court.'
Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future — as a New Yorker, like President Trump, knows very well.
Since this first-in-the-nation program took effect last month, congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster than ever. Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking. School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10 percent. Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day.
We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We'll see you in court
Gov. Kathy Hochul
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
6 minutes ago
- Politico
Power struggle
Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → The PM is under pressure to pull the plug on EV mandates. → MARC GOLD moves on from the Senate. Trade war CHARGED DEBATE — With talks with Trump back on, Prime Minister MARK CARNEY met with the Big Three automakers in Ottawa on Wednesday — a pitstop in the pursuit of that elusive economic and security partnership with the United States. — In the room: The CEOs of Ford Canada, Stellantis Canada and GM Canada. CBC News reports the confab was requested by the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association. — On the agenda: 'The need to build up a made-in-Canada supply chain as well as diversify our trading partners,' according to a statement from the PM's office. They covered trade war fallout. 'The leaders also discussed opportunities to make Canada's auto sector more sustainable and competitive in the face of shifting trade relationships, market conditions and supply chains,' the statement said. — Messaging POTUS: FLAVIO VOLPE, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, tells Playbook the auto execs have a simple message they'd like the PM to deliver to POTUS: 'The tariffs you put on, please take them off.' The Canadian auto sector faces 25 percent tariffs on all non-U.S. auto content and 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum, the key raw material in vehicle making. Getting a deal on autos will be central to any agreement Trump and Carney are able to land. — Keep on killing: Carney's decision to climb down on the digital services tax is fueling hope in some quarters that he might be inclined to reverse another policy decree he inherited from the government of JUSTIN TRUDEAU: The mandate to end the production of all combustion engine cars in 2035, paving the way for electric vehicle sales. BRIAN KINGSTON, chief executive of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, tells Playbook that poor sales in Canada and the U.S. make the mandate untenable. Kingston told us Wednesday's meeting covered trade policy and the federal zero-emission vehicle sales mandate. 'The CVMA underscored that at a time when the industry is under immense pressure, the damaging and redundant ZEV mandate must be urgently removed,' he wrote us. 'Canada's longest established automakers appreciated the candid discussion with the Prime Minister and look forward to collaborating to protect and grow this critical industry,' Kingston added. — The context: Kingston previously told us that Canadian demand for EVs 'has actually fallen through the floor' — down to 6.5 percent in March, a 45 percent decline compared to the same month last year. 'In the U.S., EV sales have effectively flat-lined at around 10 percent.' Without EV sales, he added: 'You can't move ahead with a project to build a battery plant and a major EV assembly plant.' DAVID ADAMS, president of the Global Automakers of Canada, told CP that he thinks Carney is a 'pretty pragmatic person' and that 'he'd be wanting to work with the industry to remove a barrier or an irritant that was both costly and problematic.' → A tell from the PM?: Carney took to X after Wednesday's gathering to thank Kingston and the CEOs for their input. — Intel: A government source with direct knowledge of Ottawa's negotiating strategy says Canada's EV plan needs to align with U.S. strategy. The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive information, pointed out that Trump has been canceling EV mandates, notwithstanding a recent court ruling ordering that they be reinstated. 'We do not have a trade problem,' the source explained. 'We have a policy alignment problem from the perspective of the Trump administration.' Trump recently revoked California's EV mandate, which is not unlike Canada's. 'The auto sector is saying, 'If we're going to stay in Canada, you must get rid of this EV mandate,'' the source said. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — 9:30 a.m. Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY will deliver remarks at Saguenay-Le Fjord Chamber of Commerce and Industry. CONVERSATION STARTER GOLD STANDARD — When MARC GOLD became the Liberal government's rep in the Senate in 2020, he kept his parents' advice top of mind. 'All you have is your good name,' they told him from an early age. 'I put that on the line more than once,' Gold said in tears during an exit interview with Playbook. 'It's not an easy job because we have this huge responsibility, but we don't control any votes. So like my predecessor and like my successor, I relied upon the relationships and the trust that I could develop with my colleagues — both in leadership and in the Senate.' On Monday he turned 75 — the mandatory retirement age for senators, days after he helped steamroll Bill C-5 through the upper chamber. — Pack it in: Playbook spoke to Gold as he was packing up his office, previously filled with 40 family pictures, books and a guitar. Gold, who is known to perform at Senate holiday parties, caught MAVIS STAPLES at the Ottawa Jazz Festival during his final week in Ottawa. 'She's an old favorite of mine.' And spent his mornings listening to JERRY LEE LEWIS and JOHN COLTRANE records. 'I'm full of emotions these days, but very much at peace and looking forward to the next chapter,' said Gold. 'This has really been a remarkably nourishing and important experience.' — Apply within: Gold was among the first senators appointed in 2016 under a public application process. He previously taught constitutional law, and even once trained federally appointed judges. 'I certainly had no expectation I would be selected. But when I did get the call from the prime minister, I was honored. And I have to say it's been the best chapter in my professional life.' Gold was selected by a nonpartisan, independent advisory board under a process created by then-Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU who said he wanted to make the Red Chamber less partisan and more diverse. — Before that: The Senate was dominated by a Liberal-Conservative duopoly for nearly 150 years. — Proudest moment: Gold said changes to the Senate allowed it to better fulfill its constitutional role: reviewing legislation, amplifying underrepresented voices, and respecting the will of the elected House. 'An independent Senate … means more independence from the direct control of the Prime Minister's Office,' Gold said. 'I'd like to see that continue. It's up to the prime minister to decide what adjustments, if any, he chooses to make.' — Crickets: We asked the Prime Minister's Office for an update on Senate reforms. It did not respond. — New chapter: His time as government representative in the Senate was bookended by Covid-19 and the Canada-U.S. trade war. Now, he hopes that it's only his guitar skills that keep him up at night. — Farewell: Gold is back in Quebec's Eastern Townships with his wife Nancy. Despite being in two bands (Steamfitters, Hard Knocks), he wants to form a new blues band, and maybe join a country band. In winter 2026, he'll teach a politics class at McGill University. 'It's sort of my gap year, if I can pretend to be young for a moment,' Gold said. 'I'm not ready to hang up my boots.' MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Our colleagues in D.C. report that House Republicans pulled an all-nighter to advance the megabill and are set to vote on final passage around 6 a.m. — The Globe points out that the role of Canadian ombudsperson for responsible enterprise remains vacant. — The Associated Press reports that a U.S. judge has ruled that China's Huawei Technologies must face criminal charges alleging it stole technology and engaged in racketeering, wire and bank fraud and other crimes. The charges stem from Canada's December 2018 arrest, in execution of a U.S. extradition request, of the daughter of Huawei's founder, which led to nearly three years of tit-for-tat imprisonment of Canadians MICHAEL KOVRIG and MICHAEL SPAVOR in Chinese prisons. — 'The sound of silence of late from Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE is one of the summer's blessings,' JIM COYLE writes in the Toronto Star. — ÉLIE CANTIN-NANTEL, who worked with ANDREW LAWTON at the True North Centre for Public Policy, interviewed his former colleague for The Hub. PROZONE For POLITICO Pro subscribers, here's our latest policy newsletter: In news for Pro subscribers: — Lethal heat is Europe's new climate reality. — The first American 'scientific refugees' arrive in France. — Trump's energy council to review mineral, energy grants. — Trump uprooted a major climate effort. Scientists are fighting back. — A new tech race is on. Can Europe learn from the ones it lost? PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Power Corporation's PAUL DESMARAIS JR., former MP ADAM VAUGHAN, professor and former journo MATTHEW FRASER, GREG LOERTS of Bluesky Strategy Group, CAMERON PENNER of Blackbird Strategies. HBD+1 to Fisheries Minister JOANNE THOMPSON (65!). Noted: Above the fold in the National Post: 'Mark Carney may have a winking problem.' Spotted: Firefighters from Mexico, arriving to help wildfires in Manitoba … Ontario Premier DOUG FORD and JEAN CHAREST meeting at the Canada–UAE Business Council. Movers and shakers: Independent MLAs PETER GUTHRIE and SCOTT SINCLAIR are reviving Alberta's Progressive Conservative Party … Earnscliffe Strategies is bringing on JACKIE MARSON. Lobby watch: CEFA Systems Inc., a company behind private schools founded by NATACHA BEIM, posted five June meetings with Small Business Secretary of State RECHIE VALDEZ. ALICIA ADAMS registered to lobby on behalf of ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp. … GIORGIO EFRAIMIDIS registered for Malahat Battery Technologies Corp. … CATHY LOBLAW registered for Harbourfront Corporation … RICHARD MAHONEY registered for Adobe … Crestview's ANTHONY MATAR registered for Northern Graphite and Winsome Resources. Media mentions: Halifax-based reporter JEN TAPLIN returns to The Chronicle Herald. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Wednesday's answer: Then-Prince of Wales and then-Duchess of Cornwall, now known as KING CHARLES III and QUEEN CAMILLA, attended Canada Day in 2017 to mark the country's 150th birthday. Props to MARCEL MARCOTTE, JOANNA PLATER, ALEX BALLINGALL, CHRIS RANDS, RONALD LEMIEUX, ALYSON FAIR, GREG MACEACHERN, NANCI WAUGH, MARY JANE ALLAN, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, JOHN MATHESON, JENN KEAY and ELIZABETH BURN. Today's question: Who led the royal commission that led to the establishment of the Bank of Canada? For bonus marks: Tell us how this question is related to this date in history. Send your answer to canadaplaybook@ Writing tomorrow's Playbook: MICKEY DJURIC and MIKE BLANCHFIELD. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
12 minutes ago
175+ Democrats supporting NAACP suit against dismantling Department of Education
More than 175 Democratic members of Congress are filing an amicus brief on Thursday opposing the Trump administration's overhaul of the U.S. Department of Education. 'The law couldn't be clearer: the president does not have the authority to unilaterally abolish the Department of Education,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote in a statement first obtained by ABC News, adding, 'Donald Trump is not a king, and he cannot single-handedly cut off access to education for students across this country.' Warren and Reps. Jamie Raskin, Bobby Scott and Rosa DeLauro -- the ranking members of the House's Education and Judiciary committees -- are leading the 15-page legal document. They're joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, more than 20 Senate Democrats, and more than 150 other members of the House Democratic caucus. The lawmakers' brief attempting to block the administration from abolishing the Department of Education is in support of the NAACP's suit against the government this past spring. In March, that case argued that downsizing the department through a workforce reduction that slashed nearly half the agency's staff -- among other measures like terminating statutory grant programs -- violates the separation of powers and lacks constitutional authority. The NAACP, the National Education Association (NEA), and a coalition of groups filed a preliminary injunction with the U.S. District Court in the District of Maryland this week, arguing the judge's consideration of this case is needed after the administration's recent decision to pause more than $6 billion in congressionally appropriated education programs ahead of the school year. 'The motion seeks a remedy for the serious harm that the Trump Administration has inflicted on students, educators, schools, and colleges and universities, and asks the Court to direct the Department to fulfill its statutory obligations to students nationwide,' according to a statement released by the NEA, which represents more than 3 million educators. Raskin condemned the administration's efforts to curb public education, contending President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon can't abolish the agency without congressional approval. 'Congress created the Department of Education to ensure that every student in America could obtain a high-quality, free public school education,' Raskin wrote in a statement. 'This is the right of every citizen and an essential democratic safeguard against political tyranny,' he said. 'No president has the authority to dismantle a federal agency created by law. We're going to court to defend not only congressional power but the department's national educational mission, itself a pillar of American democracy,' Raskin added. The power to reorganize the executive branch belongs to Congress and is underscored by the fact that when presidents have reorganized the executive branch, they have done so 'through legislation and subject to appropriate restraints,' according to the brief by the lawmakers. Their brief argues that only Congress has the authority to create, restructure, and abolish federal agencies, it has to be done through legislation, and the Department of Education can't be unilaterally abolished because it's statutorily mandated. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colorado, told ABC News closing the department would strip 'vital support' from tens of millions of students and teachers. 'I'm proud to stand with my colleagues in the House and Senate to uphold Congress' responsibility to ensure every student has access to a quality education and to defend the essential work of the Department of Education,' Neguse said. Efforts to dismantle the department have been blocked by lower courts this spring. The Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on a Massachusetts case that could decide whether the firing of nearly 2,000 employees at the agency stands. McMahon has stressed the critical functions of the department remain and that services like students with disabilities, for example, could ultimately be moved to other agencies. The brief is part of Warren's larger Save Our Schools campaign that she started after Trump signed an executive order to diminish the Department of Education. "The federal government has invested in our public schools," Warren told ABC News in April. "Taking that away from our kids so that a handful of billionaires can be even richer is just plain ugly, and I will fight it with everything I've got." The senator has previously requested the agency's Office of Inspector General review the Department of Government Efficiency's alleged "infiltration" of the agency's internal federal student loan database. Prior to the Save Our Schools campaign, she investigated the firing of federal student aid employees and how a reduction in staff at the agency could have "dire consequences" for borrowers. The brief also comes after Raskin and several other House Democrats met with McMahon about the future of the agency. That meeting appeared to leave many with unanswered questions, like Rep. Frederica Wilson, a senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, who also signed on to the amicus brief. "For the Department of Education to be dismantled, it is going to bring a shock to this nation," said Wilson, a former principal and lifelong educator. "Schools are the bedrock of this nation. When schools are working, our country is, too."
CNN
18 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump's immigrant deportations are ‘morally repugnant,' senior US Catholic leader says
A prominent Catholic Church leader and ally of Pope Leo XIV has strongly criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, describing the rounding up and deportation of immigrants as 'inhumane' and 'morally repugnant.' In a wide-ranging interview with CNN, Cardinal Robert McElroy, the Archbishop of Washington, DC, also voiced strong opposition to Trump's major tax and spending bill, warned of the risks of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and discussed his view of the role of women in the church. 'It's right to be able to control our borders. However, what's going on now is something far beyond that,' the cardinal told CNN on Tuesday. 'It is a mass, indiscriminate deportation of men and women and children and families which literally rips families apart and is intended to do so.' McElroy was appointed to lead the archdiocese in the US capital by Pope Francis in January, the month of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. He was among the more than 100 cardinals who took part in the conclave that elected the first American pope in May. McElroy, who spoke to CNN in Rome on the same day that Trump visited a migrant detention center in Florida known as 'Alligator Alcatraz,' said the 'mechanism' being used was the 'creation of fear' among 10 million undocumented people in the US – 'the great majority' of whom had worked hard and contributed to society. 'This is simply not only incompatible with Catholic teaching, it's inhumane and is morally repugnant,' he added. 'The scenes that occurred in Los Angeles where you saw mass agents of the government descending on car washers and Costco parking lots to round up whoever they can round up is not a sign of going after those who have criminal convictions.' Trump has said his tough immigration policies are necessary to keep criminals off US streets and to ease the burden on US institutions. He has embraced the sinister image of a migrant detention facility surrounded by swampland and reptiles. 'It's known as 'Alligator Alcatraz,' which is very appropriate, because I look outside and it's not a place I want to go,' Trump said Tuesday. McElroy argued that the government had a right to deport people convicted of 'serious crimes,' adding that the problems with immigration were rooted in an American political system that had failed to address immigration law and reform over the last 15 years. But McElroy said people were now 'afraid even to go to church' after the Trump administration removed the policy that prohibited immigration agents from making arrests in sensitive areas, like churches. 'What is behind this?' he asked, referencing the stricter immigration policies and enforcement tactics. 'I fear that one of the main things behind it, in the minds of many who are pushing it, is the sense that the people who are coming to our country now are of a different kind. 'And that's been a great theme in American culture and history all through our country's immigration, when the Irish came, when the Italians came, when the Poles came, the refrain has been the same, 'these are inferior people,' and that's what's going on now… it's an outrage.' The cardinal, a former Bishop of San Diego, is one of several Catholic bishops who have spoken out against Trump's migration policies. But Vice President JD Vance, a devout Catholic who converted in 2019, earlier this year suggested the bishops' criticisms of the Trump administration's policies were motivated by financial interests because the church receives federal funding to resettle immigrants. McElroy hit back in the interview, saying the government funding was far from sufficient to cover the programs and the church had to pick up the shortfall. 'Those who say that haven't done the math on what the church has been contributing over and above what the government has contributed to these programs,' he added. Since his election, Pope Leo has urged respect for migrants, describing himself as 'the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate.' McElroy said that while Leo XIV spoke about immigration in a 'universal' context, 'when you look at what he's saying, it has clear implications for us.' During the interview, Cardinal McElroy also criticized Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' – a sweeping piece of legislation that would extend tax cuts and increase funding for national security, partly paid for by the biggest cut to the federal social safety net in decades. He's recently signed a letter with other bishops and faith leaders opposing the bill. He said it appeared that millions would 'ultimately lose their health care because of this bill so that billionaires can receive greater tax cuts,' adding: 'There's something radically wrong with a society that takes from the poorest to give to the wealthiest. It's just wrong.' In a statement, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson rejected the criticism – particularly that leveled at the Trump agenda bill. 'The American people elected President Trump, not a DC Archbishop, to serve as their President,' Jackson said. 'President Trump is fulfilling the mandate the American people gave him in November to turn his campaign promises – like no tax on tips, social security, and overtime – into law. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation ever passed and will supercharge our economy to benefit all Americans.' When it came to church reforms and priorities for Pope Leo, McElroy talked about the importance of addressing the role of women. He said this topic had been an 'immensely powerful current' during recent Vatican assemblies, the synod, which looked at questions of church renewal and looked at how to include more women in decision making roles. 'The major thrust has to be look at where women 'aren't' and then ask why?' McElroy supports ordaining women as deacons, who carry out functions like a priest but without saying Mass or hearing confessions, which he says is consistent with the church's theology. 'It's a controversial question within the church,' he admits, 'but I think it would be important to move in that direction.' Cardinal McElroy's candidacy for Washington DC was bolstered by his doctorate in political science from Stanford University, which he was awarded for a thesis on moral norms in foreign policy. He told CNN that the recent US attacks on Iran's nuclear sites could encourage other countries to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves. He said it was 'critically important' to maintain 'non-proliferation' of nuclear weapons. 'My great fear is that the lessons that nations will take away from this intervention against Iran is that if they have nuclear weapons then they won't be subject to this sort of attack,' he said. 'I think that's an open question. Will this encourage more proliferation because the incentives are stronger now or clearer now, and that's very ominous.' Finally, the cardinal said he believes that Chicago-born Pope Leo would make a visit home – although he did not know when. 'I think when he does come to the United States it will be a great moment for our country.'
